Apparatus for discharging liquids in measured quantities.



C. P. BECKWITH. APPARATUS PoR DISGHARGING LIQUIDs IN MPASURPD QUANTITIPS.

APPLUATION FILED JULY 23, 1908.

Patented Jung 25,1912.

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[-22 V672 ar `NI ED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES BECKWITI-I, 0F DETROIT, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR T0 PAB/KE, DAVIS-8c COMPANY, 0F lDETROIT, MICHIGAN, A CORPORATION 0F MICHIGAN.

APPARATUS FOR DISCHARGING LIQUIDS' IN MEASURED QUANTITIES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 25, 1912.

Application led July 23, 1908. Serial No. 444,982.

vTo all 'whom t may concern.'

of Wayne and State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Apparatus for Discharging Liquids in Measured Quantities, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

It is the object of the invention to obtain means for automatically measuring and d is` charging predetermined volumes of liquid, being more particularly designed for use in filling bottles, and other liquid containers.

To this end the invention consists in the construction of a measuring device which is filled by a constant supply connection and is periodically discharged by siphonic action.

The invention further consists in the means employed for varying the volume of the liquid measured, and, further, in'the peculiar arrangement and combination of parts as hereinafter set forth.

In the drawings-Figure 1 is a vertical section through the apparatus; Fig. 2 is a perspective view of a modified const-ructlon.

My improved apparatus comprises essentially a modified construction of intermittent siphon. This device which has been variously used in the arts for discharging liquids from areceptacle consists of an inverted Ushaped tube having one leg longer than the other, the short leg being in communication with the vessel from which the liquidv is to be discharged. Thus if the level of the liquid in this receptacle is caused to riseabove the bend in the tube, the siphon will be started and will continue in action unt-il the level falls below the lower end of the short leg, whereupon air is admitted to break the siphon. With the construction forming the subject matter of the present invention accurately measured volumes of liquid are periodically discharged by an adaptation of an intermittent slphon, and the arrangement is such that the volume discharged may be varied.

As illustrated, A is a supply connection for the liquid to be measured in which a constant rate of, flow is maintained preferably by eonnecting the conduit to a supply tank .B having a float valve C or other equivalent means for maintaining a constant level of the liquid therein. The supply pipe A .is connected with a measuring device D and this in turn is connected with the siplion E by which the liquid is periodically discharged. In the specific form illustrated,

the measuring recept-acle D is formed by a U-shaped tube, one leg aof which also constitutes the short leg of the Siphon.. The long leg Z1 of the Siphon is formed by a tube `of lesser diameter than the measuring receptacle and extends downward below the bend c 1n the U-shaped tube a suiicient distance to produce the desired siphonic action. The other leg d of the U-shaped tube extends above the bend e connecting the short and long legs of the siphon and thus the liquid admitted to the supply connection A is free to rise in the tube d above the level of the bend e.

With the construction as thus far described, a constant flow of the liquid is maintained in the tube A which entering the measuring receptacle D will rise therein until the level of the bend e is attained. This will permit the 'liquid to pass over into the long leg of the siphon, which is immediately started into action, and as this Siphon is proportioned to have a higher rate of discharge than the inflow from the tube A the level liquid in the measuring receptacle will fall. As soon as this reaches the lower bend c of the U-shaped tube, air will be admitted into the tube a, which rising throughthe liquid will break the siphon and prevent further discharge. The liquid remaining in the tube a will then fall backward equalizing the level in both legs of the U. During the operation just described, the inflow of the liquid from the tube A will continue and therefore the volume of liquid discharged is in excess of the volume in the tube al at the time the siphon is started. However, as the rate of infiow is constant the volume discharged may be readily predetermined. v I preferably also provide means for varying the volume discharged, and this may be accomplished in different ways. Thus by means of a valve F in the supply conduit A the rate of inflow may be varied, or again the rate of outflow could be altered by changing the length of the long leg b of the Siphon. Anyv variation in these factors will of course alter the volume of liquid discharged. A further means of variationis an alteration in the capacity of .the measuring receptacle D and, as shown,

such avariation is producedby the adjustment of a small tubel Gr within the tube d.

The tube Gpasses through an aperture in the Stopper I-I for' the tube ,'and may be raised or lowered, as desired. The lowering of the tube will decrease the capacity of the measuring receptacle, for the reason that as soon as the lower end ofthe tube G is sealed bythe rising liquid the air contained in the tube d above the level will be trapped and further rising of the liquid'in said tube is prevented, but it continues to rise in the small tube G until the Siphon is started. Thus the capacity of the measuring' 4receptacle is altered by any adjustment of the tubeG.

The tube G, in addition to forming a means for altering the capacity of the measuring receptacle, performs the further unction of regulating the discharge. This is-due tothe restriction imposed upon the incoming air which displaces the liquid in the measuring recepacle after the Starting of the Siphon. As a consequence, the rate of disv charge in successive operations iS more uniform than would be the case if the full area of the tube d were in communication with the external atmosphere.

In the use of the apparatus above described for placing'measured quantities of liquid in containers, it is only necessary for the operator tosuccessively place the empty container in registration with the discharge tube b, the transfer occurring during the interval in which the Siphon is broken andv the liquid is accumulating inthe measured receptacle. It is obvious that the transfer may be performed rby automatic meansl if desired, but such means forms no part of the present invention.

The modified construction illustrated in Fig. 2 is a multiple machine comprising a series of adjacent devices, each being substantially the same construction as illustrated in Fig. 1. With such a construction a large number of containers maybe simultaneously filled with the measured quantity of liquid. It is, however, necessary to provide means for causing the individual members of the series to operatesynchronously, as otherwise the transfer of the containers could not be conveniently performed. This synchronous action may be accomplished by cross-con- ,necting all of the supply conduits A for the several measuring receptacles by an equalizing tube I, which will cause the liquid in all of the various measuring receptacles to Stand at the same level.v Thusall of the receptacles will be simultaneously discharged, and the removal of the iilled' containers and the positioning of the empty containers may be accomplished during the intervalin which the measuring receptacles are being filled.

What I claim as my invention is: l. A device `ior successively lling recepi tacles with a predetermined volume of liquid comprising a siphon having a discharge leg registerable with the recep'cle to be filled, a measuring receptacle co .Y unicating with said Siphon, of predetermied capacity between the levels for starting and breaking the flow, and an inlet for Igsaid measuring receptacle -having a lesser ratte of tlow than the vdischarge from the Siphon.

2. A device for successively; lling receptacles with a predetermined volume of liquid Acomprisingl siphon having aidischarge leg registerable with the receptacle to'be filled, a measuring receptacle communicating with said Siphon and of predetermined capacity between the levels for start-ing and breaking the flow, an, inlet-for said measuri'n receptable having a lesser rate of flow t an the discharge from the Siphon, and means for varying the quantity of liquid discharged.

3. A device for successively filling receptacles witha predetermined volume of liquid comprising a Siphon having a discharge leg registerable with the receptacle to be illed,

a measuring receptacle communicating with said Siphon of predetermined capacity between the level for s tarting and breaking the now, lan inlet for said 'receptaClc,-- having a lesser rate of low'than the discharge of the Siphon, and means by which therelation between the inlet, discharge and the'capacity of the measuring receptacle may be varied to alter the measurement of the quantity. dis- 4. The combination of a series ci' measuringreceptacles, means for continuously supplying liquid thereto and for equalizing the levels in the several receptacles, and siphonic discharge connections for said receptacles automatically and synchronously operating between predetermined levels of the liquid therein.

5. A measuring device comprising 'a siphon having its.short leg terminating in a rebent portion of greater length than said leg, a Supply connection communicating with said rebent portion, and means for continuously supplying liquid to said connection.

6. A measuring devicecomprising a siphon having its short leg terminating in a rebent portion of greaterlength than said leg, a supply connection communicating with said rebent portion, means for continuously supplying liquid to said connection, and means or varying the effective capacity of'said re-bent portion. -Y

7. A measuring device comprising a'siphon having its short leg terminating in a rebent portion of vgreater length than said leg'and having its long leg of smaller crosssection than said short leg, a supply connection communicating with said rebent-portion, and means for continuously supplying liquid to said connection.

8. A measuring device comprising a siphon having its short leg terminating in 'a relation thereto for varying the effective carebent portion of greater' length than said pacty of said re-loent portion. 10 leg and having its long leg of smaller cross- In testimony whereof l affix my signature section than said short leg, a supply conin presence of two Witnesses.

nection Communicating with said rebent CHARLES P. BECKWITH. portion, means for continuously supplying i Witnesses:

liquid to said connection, and an open-ended i NELLIE KINSELLA` tube Within said rebent portion adjustable in JAMES P. BARRY. 

